...[part of] one of the best sketch groups in the country
Sketchfest packs in the laughs in SF and Chicago, plus the Winter Ball, the Kornbluth brothers, ChinMusic!
As the third annual San Francisco Sketchfest opened to packed houses last weekend, including one at Cobb's Comedy Club that gave a standing ovation to the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew, I was 2,000 miles away, performing at the Chicago Sketchfest, the third annual such event for that city, too.
I'm smelling a cultural trend, people -- that laughtacular aroma of the funny ha-ha starting to organize. It'd be easy to gesture broadly about "how we all need a good laugh in these troubled times," but I don't think that's why it's getting popular. It's mostly about momentum.
Having seen the beginnings of the poetry slam, when audiences were lured in with the promise of free plates of hummus and a possible night-capping orgy on some stained futons, I'd say the national sketch-comedy movement has experienced a similar trajectory. Sketch may have reached critical mass a little faster because comedy comes with a history of popular audiences, but I can tell you assuredly that both scenes contain equal amounts of angst and cigarettes.
Although the Chicago organizers, chiefly Brian Posen of Second City, created the world's largest sketch festival this year, with more than 70 groups attending the ambitious and super-successful community-building spectacular, the SF Sketchfest has roped in big names and is also showcasing a number of smaller artists in its strategy to put its event on the map.
Though my trip to Chicago contained a gorgeous snowfall and a hearty Midwestern breakfast with my septuagenarian second cousin (who, turns out, used to work with Jello Biafra's mom at the American Library Organization's Freedom to Read Foundation) and included my succumbing to a protracted pitch by my host to wear his Aunt Harriet's 50-year-old mink, I feel a duty to parlay my experience into something that will be of value to you, the San Francisco reader, as well.
This brings me to The Animal Club. These kids are the one and only sketch group to play both festivals. Formed in Pittsburgh a few years ago, this now Chicago-based ensemble of 10 writer/actors (a few less for the S.F. shows) is one of the best young groups in the country right now. With an enviable gift for the absurd, the Animals sell their hilarious scenes and characters without a whiff of desperation to get the laugh.
They also incorporate tightly produced video segments into their live show -- look for the beer-commercial parody in which the guy proposes with a diamond ring, only to discover that, apparently, his girl has no ring finger ("He didn't notice"). The Animal Club plays this Sunday, Jan. 18 at 8 pm at the Eureka Theatre.
Speaking of grassroots festivals, the Mission Creek Music Festival, which usually fans its feathers in the summer, is shepherding in what will hopefully become a winter tradition: the Winter Ball, a "dress-up dance party" and fashion show. Go and see how unspoiled Olympia, Wash.'s the Gossip is by their success. Try to pick out Gold Chains mastermind Topher Lafata before the action starts. And then there's the indefatigable Crack W.A.R. and the Vanishing. It all happens this Saturday, Jan. 17 at Studio Z (which should probably take the ".tv" off the end of its official name. Except with a name like "Studio Z," I guess it kind of makes sense.)
Bay Area comedian Michael Capozzola, who also happens to be a freelance photographer and illustrator, breaks into the syndicated-cartooning world next week when comics he co-wrote with Dan Piraro of "Bizarro" fame hit the streets. The first one runs Monday, Jan. 19.
Those talented Kornbluth brothers are busier than ever this month. Monologuist Josh just wrapped up a run of his show "Love and Taxes" at the West Village's Bank Theatre in NYC, which included a free "Tax Talkback" at last Sunday's show with Steven Weisman of The New York Times. The New York Daily News called him "spellbinding" and also made sure to mention his "outsize, very round head." Check his Web site for upcoming appearances, and get ready for the concert film of his acclaimed show "Red Diaper Baby," produced by the Sundance Channel and directed by Doug Pray, creator of the turntabling doc "Scratch." And then there's brother Jacob, whose new feature film, "The Best Thief in the World," makes its debut at the Sundance Film Festival this Friday night.
The planet's only magazine to bring together all those baseball fans who are also into art and punk rock, ChinMusic! releases its latest issue this week. Look for writer Ben Weasel's rant against the whiny, sentimental baby boomers, all hopped up on entitlement, who made the Kevin Costner schlock hit "Field of Dreams." Also check out Bay Guardian contributor Mike McGuirk's account of his tour of duty seeing five Boston Red Sox games in six days. Edited and published by San Francisco's own Kevin Chanel, ChinMusic! celebrates issue number six at the Hemlock Tavern this Saturday at 6 pm with delicious, wintry Manhattans on special.
by Beth Lisick
Wednesday, Januarty 14, 2004
Beth Lisick is the author of "Monkey Girl" and "This Too Can Be Yours," out on Manic D Press, special on SFGate.com. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2004/01/14/blisick.DTL
San Francisco Chronicle